Controller-driven VRML animation of the next-generation inspection system (NGIS) real-time controller

Virtual objects in a web-based environment can be interfaced to and controlled by external real world controllers. A Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) inspection cell was created that models a real-time inspection system. The tested consists of a Cordax Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM), a vision system for determining the part position and orientation, and an open architecture controller. Because of the open architecture, data such as the probe position and the part position and orientation, can be obtained from the controller to drive a VRML model of the system. The VRML CMM is driven using a socket connection between the collaborator's web browser and the real world controller. The current probe position, which is stored in a world model buffer in the controller, is collected by a Java applet running on the web page. The applet updates the VRML model of the CMM via the External Authoring Interface of the VRML plug-in. The part position and orientation is obtained from the vision system and the part is updated in the VRML model to represent the part's real world position and orientation. The remote access web site also contains a client-controlled pan/tilt/zoom camera, which sends video to the client allowing them to monitor a remote inspection with a PC and an Internet connection.